The art of travelling between Bangalore - Mangalore/Udupi

This is a discussion on The art of travelling between Bangalore - Mangalore/Udupi within Route / Travel Queries, part of the Travelogues category; Originally Posted by nicedude
Planning to drive to Goa from Mysore Via Mangalore.
Is going via Mangalore a must-need? Because ...

It's a very late question, but I plan to drive from Blr to udupi tomorrow, planned start time 1030 hrs, with parents and my daughter aged 3. Please advice me on a relaxed route, my first idea is to take the Mysore - madikeri - mangalore- udupi.

But after some reading, thinking about shiradi, now that it is still open.

Also worth mentioning is my new vehicle s cross.

My most important needs are
Decent roads with signage
Food options enroute
Reaching udupi before nightfall.

Should I start earlier, or copying consider the charmadi option, kindly suggest.

Planning to drive to Goa from Mysore Via Mangalore. Any update on the road conditions between Mangalore and Karwar towards Goa would be appreciated, thanks in advance. This is for a low slung sedan. (Jetta)

Regards

Mangalore-Udupi-Kundapura is very good (except for a stretch of 3 KMs near Padubidri & 1 KM under-construction stretch outside Udupi). Not aware of the stretch beyond Shastri Circle, Kundapura; haven't driven on that for a while now.

Mod note: Post Edited. Back to back posts, please use Multi Quote [Quote +] or Edit original post to add reply. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

Is going via Mangalore a must-need? Because if not there are better options.

Mysore-Shimoga-Honnavar-Karwar-Goa.

Always felt the road via Shimoga was a lot more tiring even if it is the shortest , decided to go via Dharwad to South Goa even if it is a lot longer , hopefully it will take lesser time and wont be as tiring. The Mangalore route was always nice to drive along the coast , nothing more to it . Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shubbi

Mangalore-Udupi-Kundapura is very good (except for a stretch of 3 KMs near Padubidri & 1 KM under-construction stretch outside Udupi). Not aware of the stretch beyond Shastri Circle, Kundapura; haven't driven on that for a while now.

Thanks Shubbi ,

decided to go via Hubli for the onward journey , maybe will get back via Mangalore if it turns out to be a not so smart decision .

Last edited by Jaggu : 28th October 2016 at 10:21.
Reason: Back to back posts, please use Multi Quote [Quote +] or Edit original post to add reply. Thanks.

But after some reading, thinking about shiradi, now that it is still open.

As per earlier posts, Shiradi is open. I am planning to take this route later this evening. Let me see if I can post a report here tomorrow morning.

10.30AM start from Bangalore should take you to Udupi by 7PM with a very relaxed drive.
You wouldn't really need any signage per se as its a straight forward route, with notable turns being left at Nelamangala, right at Mangalore.

It's a very late question, but I plan to drive from Blr to udupi tomorrow, planned start time 1030 hrs, with parents and my daughter aged 3. Please advice me on a relaxed route, my first idea is to take the Mysore - madikeri - mangalore- udupi.

But after some reading, thinking about shiradi, now that it is still open.

Also worth mentioning is my new vehicle s cross.

My most important needs are
Decent roads with signage
Food options enroute
Reaching udupi before nightfall.

Should I start earlier, or copying consider the charmadi option, kindly suggest.

With Shiradi still operational, I see no reason why you should take the detour via Mysore and Madikeri.

Secondly, you leaving at 10:30AM on tomorrow and then being brave enough to take the Mysore road will be a very disastrous combination.

Your easiest and most straightforward bet is to stick to Shiradi and reach Udupi. Except for the Shiradi Ghats, your roads will remain smooth all throughout.

There will be traffic on the Nelemangala - Hassan - Sakleshpur route but then it wont be as bad as Bangalore-Mysore and the fact that it will bypass most of the petty and major towns.

I just returned from Udupi via Mangalore, the shiradi ghat is open for now. I kept asking shop keepers in the ghat section and assistants at tool booths and the answers from them kept varying. Some told the ghat is open until 15 Nov, while others feel 15 Dec, some even told it's going to be open until 31 Dec 2016.

anyway, the road condition is indeed bad for about 15 km, rest is absolutely amazing. while going towards Mangalore, 5 km before gundya and 10 km after have been damaged. But it's nothing that can be termed as terrible in my option, there are worse roads in Bangalore city

If you live in bannerughatta road and travel to EC every day via begur road, this gundya stretch is a piece of cake.

Ok, jokes apart, I was driving S cross, so never scraped or bottomed out, guys with low slung sedans need to be more cautious. Part of the road towards Mangalore is better than other half.

Thanks Parag bhai for timely suggestion. This was our first trip to coastal Karnataka, and we enjoyed every bit.

Updates on Charmadi and Shiradi from my Bangalore-Mangalore-Bangalore drive on 31st Oct 2016:

On day before (31st October), Myself and my dad headed for an impromptu drive with Belur on our mind. We left Bangalore at 0200 PM and around 0500 PM we were in Belur and on seeing the crowd at the temple (With cars parked all over), decided to continue our journey towards Mangalore - Yes, that's when you call it impromptu .

Charmadi Ghats & the road to Mudipu:

Encountered traffic till Kottigehara - This was because there was a lot of crowd from Bangalore returning from Kalasa-Horanadu. After Kottigehara it was business as usual, very less cars and super light traffic.

Charmadi Ghat is holding good except very few bad patches as reported earlier from my drive only few weeks ago. The progress is fast due to absence of traffic here.

Ujire - Belthangady - BC Road is holding good and there are no bad patches

Our Destination in Mangalore was Mudipu (University campus) to meet a friend soon after I confirmed his presence when in Belur and hence as soon as we hit NH48 (Bangalore - Mangalore highway), we started driving back 3.5 Kms towards Hassan to turn right at Melkar onto a road that directly connects to Mudipu

Anyone wanting to use this road as shortcut to reach Ullal (Many resorts here as you know) must be cautioned that the initial 9 kms after the turn off from NH48 is in bad shape with frequent and consistent potholes - Hence, depending on the time of the day and traffic pattern, you are as well better off driving all the way to Pumpwell and then take left towards Kasargod to reach your destination - Should be faster and roads are also good

With a 0200 PM start, a short break for mandatory neer dose at Kottigehara for 20 minutes, we reach Mangalore (Mudipu) at 0830 PM - 385 kms, 6.5 Hours and via Charmadi

Shiradi Ghats:

Spent 2 hours at his place and started back at 10:30 PM for Bangalore again taking the same route to hit NH48 at Melkar

NH48 till Gundya remains in good shape with one or two places that has some surprising elements - Potholes, what else

As we hit NH48 around 1100 PM, I had expected a lot of Bangalore bound Bus traffic and since the oncoming traffic towards Mangalore was less at that time, I was quick to overtake a lot of buses till roads started deteriorating further ahead

Post Gundya, all the way till the point where the 13 kms concrete road starts, a distance of almost 15 kms is in very bad shape - So bad that even buses were seen struggling

At many places there are just no roads as the surface is totally washed away - My only saving grace was that the oncoming bus traffic was still far away to face me and hence I was able to easily overtake buses quickly while they negotiated potholes and I took the extreme right lane to manage that at many places, something that you will not be able to do during day time or even when there is good traffic in both directions

We encountered some heavy to very heavy rains all the way from Donigal to Hassan that further slowed our pace

There was fog (at times moderate to dense) nearing Sakleshpur as well

With a quick refueling break at IOCL, Udyapura at 0145 AM we were home at 0330 AM yesterday

With an instant comparison of driving onward through Charmadi and return via Shiradi, It was no brainer that I was repenting my decision to have taken Shiradi - Trust me, Shiradi is indeed bad for now. If you are not convinced, this video of the entire bad stretch should give you that idea and how bad things can really get if its a weekend and you are driving during the day time where overtaking is even difficult. (Excuse the not so great quality only because I joined the usual successive dashcam clips and then compressed this video)

Drag the progress bar to the following "Points of Interests"!3:23s, 5:15s, 6:57s, 13:08s, 13:34s,16:30s (Super long stretch that's really bad), 18:35s (Gundya Junction), 19:28s, 20:26s (All the way till the end from here)

And this is exactly how Charmadi fares in terms of road conditions, video from my drive only 3 weeks before.

There were enough private cars heading back to Bangalore one day before the mayhem - Hotels, toll booths and visible hints from the opposite lane were good enough to say this

Even at night after 0100 AM, there was heavy density of private cars - All Bangalore bound

Surprisingly, the hoteliers around this road are aware of the traffic pattern that many of them were open even post 2AM

Unusual rush at all toll booths between 0100 AM 0300 AM - At least 3 gates open and minimum of 4-5 private cars

Each of the tea shop or toll booth had a cluster of Bangalore cars either taking a nap or stopping by for a cuppa at this odd hour

Donigal, a popular point for truckers to stop by before (and after) Ghats, was surrounded by dozens and dozens of Tempo Travellers - Again, all heading to Bangalore

There was also equal rush towards Mangalore - Mainly because today (Nov 1) is a holiday and post festival there were many headed to popular pilgrimage circuit of Kukke - Dharmasthala

Bottom-line:

In its present condition till the roads get repaired, ignore Shiradi as of now. It is simply not worth it unless you are driving odd day and odd hours where there is a lease for gaining some better momentum.

With passengers inside the car, often kids and elders, you don't want them to feel heavy & shaky lateral movements inside your car no matter what you drive when other options are relatively less stressful.

Stated early morning at 04:30, was very good drive till reached tolled highway at CR patna (@10:45 in morning). Afterwards its all stressful. People won't let you drive in peace even on left or middle lane at 80km. Some take thrill at tailgating, Constant honking, what not. It usually happen when cluster of cars starts racing at each other and somehow they find me not want to racing with them, shessh!. Madness at rumble strips in many places is not worth writing about.

As far as road conditions, There are few bad patches after Kadur, few bridges near Thirthahalli, and between Thirthahalli and Agumbe. Agumbe ghats upper roads are all bouncy. Rest of the roads are bliss to drive.

People won't let you drive in peace even on left or middle lane at 80km. Some take thrill at tailgating, Constant honking, what not.

This behavioural pattern can be attributed to anxiety arising out of the fear of unknown.What if I dont overtake this vehicle ? He is driving slower than me, he could be a reason of some unknown jam ahead.Let's get past him and have a look at the next target. Although you might find the same guy stuck in some toll booth ahead. Driving sanely and efficiently is becoming a thing of past.